So bizarre. I've played this game for well over a year, and I just noticed little trails of tiny ants walking across the paved road just as you turn north right after crossing the riverwood bridge.

Earth is infested with ants. I normally see them on tree stumps in Riverwood.

I only see the ants on this one tree stump at Half Moon Mill.

I'm sure I'll find more ants in other mills, but that's the only place I remember seeing them.

Hey lets come up with a new conspiracy theory about ants!

Ok, I'll bite....

They're agents planted by the Thalmor who aid in finding Talos worshipers. The prisoners that are led by Thalmor Justiciars are a piece of their handiwork.

I honestly never even noticed them. It's just one of those features that's so small that you really don't even see unless you would go looking for it, but glad to see they took the time to add it in.

I think it just comes to show that in today's age in gaming, developers can even add some of the smallest detail in their worlds and it's still neat.

lol never noticed them and i have 1290 hours putted in the game

Obviously, there are on nirn to attract the Uncles.

Yeah it took me hundreds of hours before I finally noticed them on a stump.

Well ive never heard of the thalmor been called ants before but i guess its true they are like ants after all

This pun wins the thread!

There are ants all over Skyrim.

Those I can see. The crickets and cicadas, though... are invisible!

Looks like Todd Howard did comment on them.

http://elderscrolls.wikia.com/wiki/Ants

I discovered those right after coming out of Riverwood for the first time. They shine when light hits them just right and that caught my eye.

I havent seen any ants andI have 5,000 hours.

This thread was worth it, for this.

At least it ain't giant fire ants from Grayditch.

They are not Ants, they are a miniature species of Chaurus that the Falmer use to spy on the Surface Dwellers and collect wood pulp to grow mushrooms in.

The ants are Daedra

The reason people haven't noticed them is because they are not always there.

I do not know under what conditions they appear but certain tree stumps and roads can have ant trails crossing them, and sometimes when you come back they'll be gone, or the other way around.

Maybe it has something to do with the weather.

The ants can't be interacted with in any way, they are a visual effect like the flocks of bats or the leaves blowing in the wind.